Running Bear’s June 2025 Coffee Shop

[Bruette]

This is my idea of retro, and it refers to a train.

"Well, I'm leaving tomorrow at daybreak
Catch the fastest train that I find"

 

[insomniville]

Hi! I'm new! I'll just sit quietly in that booth over in the corner over there; hash browns and Dr. Pepper will do for me...

Been looking in through the window for quite a while now; feels like I already know you guys. Your lives are much more interesting than mine, so I will probably only occasionally have things to say -- but I will very much enjoy listening in.

Last time I looked, it was 86F here, somewhere around halfway between santafewillie and the Texas Hobo. That was around an hour ago. Waiting for the weather app to decide if it's going to rain this week; yesterday it said yes (five days!), but today it says no. You'd think with all the AI that they could at least get the weather prediction dialed in, but noooo...

I transplanted myself here just about ten years ago now, and have no regrets -- but I'm a died-in-the-wool introvert, and I was a remote worker on top of it, so in ten years I haven't really gotten to know much about the area. Pathetic, I know. Since I'm getting into trains, I decided to go check out the hobby shops for the first time yesterday.

What a disappointment!

Checked The Hobby Shop out in Leander, Kings down in Austin, and HobbyTown over by the Domain, where Fry's Electronics used to be before they closed it down. Only HobbyTown seemed to have any real quality selection, and that was mostly in HO. N gauge seems not to be popular.

Kings had a bunch of *very, very old* N gauge stuff. Atlas track bits in those yellow/orange envelopes that looked like they were from the early eighties at the latest -- exactly what I remember from when I was a kid. I didn't buy anything.

This coming week is medical week, both for me and for one of my cats. Not looking forward to that, but it is what it is. Just lab tests and checkups for me, at least. The cat gets to have his teeth cleaned, which I'm sure he'll just *love*.

Today will be working on bits and pieces toward the conversion of my former back office into my new train room, and maybe some planning toward what I'm actually going to build. Nothing else on the schedule.

If anyone knows where there's a train store with a good selection of N scale stuff within a hundred miles or so of Austin, please let me know!

 

[santafewillie]

Hi! I'm new! I'll just sit quietly in that booth over in the corner over there; hash browns and Dr. Pepper will do for me...

Been looking in through the window for quite a while now; feels like I already know you guys. Your lives are much more interesting than mine, so I will probably only occasionally have things to say -- but I will very much enjoy listening in.

Last time I looked, it was 86F here, somewhere around halfway between santafewillie and the Texas Hobo. That was around an hour ago. Waiting for the weather app to decide if it's going to rain this week; yesterday it said yes (five days!), but today it says no. You'd think with all the AI that they could at least get the weather prediction dialed in, but noooo...

I transplanted myself here just about ten years ago now, and have no regrets -- but I'm a died-in-the-wool introvert, and I was a remote worker on top of it, so in ten years I haven't really gotten to know much about the area. Pathetic, I know. Since I'm getting into trains, I decided to go check out the hobby shops for the first time yesterday.

What a disappointment!

Checked The Hobby Shop out in Leander, Kings down in Austin, and HobbyTown over by the Domain, where Fry's Electronics used to be before they closed it down. Only HobbyTown seemed to have any real quality selection, and that was mostly in HO. N gauge seems not to be popular.

Kings had a bunch of *very, very old* N gauge stuff. Atlas track bits in those yellow/orange envelopes that looked like they were from the early eighties at the latest -- exactly what I remember from when I was a kid. I didn't buy anything.

This coming week is medical week, both for me and for one of my cats. Not looking forward to that, but it is what it is. Just lab tests and checkups for me, at least. The cat gets to have his teeth cleaned, which I'm sure he'll just *love*.

Today will be working on bits and pieces toward the conversion of my former back office into my new train room, and maybe some planning toward what I'm actually going to build. Nothing else on the schedule.

If anyone knows where there's a train store with a good selection of N scale stuff within a hundred miles or so of Austin, please let me know!

Welcome aboard from a fellow Texan, as you have already surmised. Sad that there aren't any good hobby shops in your area, but if you're ever up in the Dallas area, then by all means stop by Discount Model Trains in Addison, a northern suburb of Dallas. And there's Angelo Hobbies in Hurst, between Dallas and Ft Worth. Discount does not do anything on-line, but it's a great place. I've been going there for over 30 years. I don't get to Angelo's much because it's location is not good for me. There's a couple of Hobbytowns in the area, but I haven't been to them.

 

[RhB Michael]

My favorite album is Wilst du mit mir gehn. It's a double CD set. Lot if good music. All in German.

I think the only album I have with any English sung is the 99 Luftballons album. Several in English on that one.

Made in Germany is another good album from 2006 I think.

 

[insomniville]

Welcome aboard from a fellow Texan, as you have already surmised. Sad that there aren't any good hobby shops in your area, but if you're ever up in the Dallas area, then by all means stop by Discount Model Trains in Addison, a northern suburb of Dallas. And there's Angelo Hobbies in Hurst, between Dallas and Ft Worth. Discount does not do anything on-line, but it's a great place. I've been going there for over 30 years. I don't get to Angelo's much because its location is not good for me. There's a couple of Hobbytowns in the area, but I haven't been to them.

Thanks, and thanks for the info!

I do have family in Richardson, so maybe I need to head up there again some time soon. It's not hugely far in the grand scheme... I'll remember, and I'll check those out if/when the opportunity arises.

 

[migalyto]

Hi! I'm new! I'll just sit quietly in that booth over in the corner over there; hash browns and Dr. Pepper will do for me...

Been looking in through the window for quite a while now; feels like I already know you guys. Your lives are much more interesting than mine, so I will probably only occasionally have things to say -- but I will very much enjoy listening in.

Welcome to the forum and the coffee shop!

Just jump on the pile!

 

[Marlin39]

Just a quick coupler question.

I'm contemplating converting all the mix matched manufacturers couplers to Kadee 148's. 95% of my cars are 40' or less in length. I have 5 PS2 grain hoppers that are just over 50'. All turnouts are #6 and only one curve at a 22" radius.

Would I be able to use the medium length shank for all of these?

Thanks

 

[kbkchooch]

Just a quick coupler question.

I'm contemplating converting all the mix matched manufacturers couplers to Kadee 148's. 95% of my cars are 40' or less in length. I have 5 PS2 grain hoppers that are just over 50'. All turnouts are #6 and only one curve at a 22" radius.

Would I be able to use the medium length shank for all of these?

Thanks

Go for it! Get yourself a height gauge and a pair of trip pin pliers from KayDee. You wont regret it.

 

[troyphoto]

Well, howdy there internet peeps and those who want Texas and Florida to take back their 90+ degree & sweltering days.

B-day party was a success. With one mistake.

I got bored and decided to get a headstart on putting the chairs back into storage at the clubhouse. One of the wife's male cousins saw me, and announced "Troy's putting the tables away, let's all help!"

wife wanted another hour of chatting with people... sorry. But Cousin Kerry commanded, and everyone saluted and started bringing me the folding chairs and tables.

Here's the meat we made. On the left one of the larger pork shoulders the grocery had, and on the right, 2 lbs of HB turned into Manwich Sloppy Joes.

That was after everyone went through the line. The Pulled Pork was full to the top. The sloppy joes about 1/3rd of the way up when we started.

I brought home less than half of what you see in the crocks above.

And my BBQ Baked Beans seem to be a big hit as well:

That was two 28oz cans, brown sugar, and Sweet Baby Ray's Honey BBQ sauce (drain the sauce from the bean cans before dumping them in the pan).

Evidently the wife wants to do this again next year.

 

[Marlin39]

Go for it! Get yourself a height gauge and a pair of trip pin pliers from KayDee. You wont regret it.

I have both already.

 

[santafewillie]

Would I be able to use the medium length shank for all of these?

As Karl posted, go for it.

 

[bnsf971]

Well, howdy there internet peeps and those who want Texas and Florida to take back their 90+ degree & sweltering days.

B-day party was a success. With one mistake.

I got bored and decided to get a headstart on putting the chairs back into storage at the clubhouse. One of the wife's male cousins saw me, and announced "Troy's putting the tables away, let's all help!"

wife wanted another hour of chatting with people... sorry. But Cousin Kerry commanded, and everyone saluted and started bringing me the folding chairs and tables.

Here's the meat we made. On the left one of the larger pork shoulders the grocery had, and on the right, 2 lbs of HB turned into Manwich Sloppy Joes.


That was after everyone went through the line. The Pulled Pork was full to the top. The sloppy joes about 1/3rd of the way up when we started.

I brought home less than half of what you see in the crocks above.

And my BBQ Baked Beans seem to be a big hit as well:


That was two 28oz cans, brown sugar, and Sweet Baby Ray's Honey BBQ sauce (drain the sauce from the bean cans before dumping them in the pan).

Evidently the wife wants to do this again next year.

I’ve managed to screw up by being proactive, as well. You go from “everybody should be happy I did this for them” to goat in about 30 seconds.

 

[shortwrench]

Been trying to stay out of the heat & humidity, so downstairs to the basement. Working on incremental upgrades
such as painting people and adding details. My layout doesn't cover a specific era but most of the buildings and
cars would fall into mid century.

As I was adding details to people and re-arranging them, I noticed I didn't have any TV antennas on any of the
structures. Ah-light bulb moment, have to get the inhabitants of the layout into the electronic age.

First one in the neighborhood to get TV, which requires an outside antenna to receive the 2 black & white local vhf
channels. After getting permission from the landlord, the antenna was installed on the chimney. Soon antennas
will be popping up everywhere.

 

[bnsf971]

Good afternoon. It's partly cloudy and 93.
If anyone else uses Wally World's online shopping/delivery feature, have you noticed the system randomly adding items to your order after you place it? The first couple of times, I thought it was me somehow ordering stuff, or clicking it without realizing, but I happened to look at the emailed list they sent me when I placed my last two orders. The original order didn't have an item, but then an item from my "previously purchased" list showed up when delivered. I looked, and yes, it was ordered, and I was charged. I'm going to be closely watching this in the future.

 

[insomniville]

Carefully watch the pop ups they send you during the ordering process.

I can't speak to Walmart, but when I hit the checkout button, Amazon likes to pop up a thing that says, "Oh, you haven't ordered this in a while. Want to now?"

It's very annoying, and I bet a lot of people get bit by not reading everything thoroughly...

 

[logandsawman]

Carefully watch the pop ups they send you during the ordering process.

I can't speak to Walmart, but when I hit the checkout button, Amazon likes to pop up a thing that says, "Oh, you haven't ordered this in a while. Want to now?"

It's very annoying, and I bet a lot of people get bit by not reading everything thoroughly...

I order from Amazon regularly. A few times I got suckered into getting Prime when I don't need it, since everything I purchase already has free shipping.

I always keep it in place for the trial period, but it bothers me that I need to remember to cancel. I will save and star the Prime email. Messes up my inbox...


91 here, just finished a mile walk with wifey, the deerflies being quite pesky motivated us to a brisket pace

BTW you may find several closet introverts here

Dave LASM

 

[bnsf971]

BTW you may find several closet introverts here

Isn't that sort of the definition of introverts?

 

[logandsawman]

Isn't that sort of the definition of introverts?

Never thought of it that way

 

[troyphoto]

Introverts: We'll come out of the closet once everyone leaves.

 

[Marlin39]

I was in outside sales for over 35 years. I was at the other end of the spectrum from introverts.

Willie - You're slipping. You forgot to mention that Cyndi Lauper turned 72 today.